1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carton having an integral handle formed on its top wall, and a blank for forming the carton. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved, three-ply reinforced handle arrangement which is centrally located on the carton top wall, is aligned with the carton center of gravity, and can be easily separated from the carton top wall along a scoreline.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cartons or containers for large quantities of consumer articles are often provided with a handle to facilitate carrying the carton with its contents. Preferably, this handle is formed from a unitary portion of the blank used to form the reminder of the carton to simplify construction of the carton and to minimize expenses. For cartons containing relatively heavy articles, such as cans of beer or other beverages, the carton must be sufficiently strong to withstand the considerably weight of the carton and its contents.
In one known carton, the handle comprises two U-shaped panels which overlie one another and extend angularly outwardly from one of the top edges of the carton. Since the handle extends from an edge of the carton, it is offset from the center of gravity of the carton causing the carton to hang at an angle when held by the handle. The angular hanging of the carton makes carrying difficult and interferes with walking.
Cartons have also been provided with separate handles which comprise a strap which extends through and is affixed at its ends to the bottom of the carton top panel. Because of the load place in the carton, the handle often tears and is separated from the top panel of the carton at its ends.
Accordingly, in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,905, issued Apr. 15, 1983 to the same assignee as the present invention, I disclose a carton and a blank for forming a carton with an integral strap handle located in the center of the carton top and aligned with the carton center of gravity to distribute the load of the carton evenly when held by the handle. Since the handle is integral with the carton, it is prevented from readily tearing and separating at its ends when grasped by a user.
The carton comprised top and bottom walls which are connected by a tubular body. The top wall has inner and outer panels extending from opposite sides of the tubular body, which panels are overlapped and secured together. An elongated handle panel is formed from a doubled back end portion of the outer top panel and is substantially equally spaced from the tubular body opposite sides. The handle panel is defined by a scoreline formed in the outer top panel which extends substantially parallel to a free end edge of the outer top panel and at least to the tubular body, which is grasped and pulled upwardly to sever the scoreline.
Since the handle is formed from a doubled back end portion of the outer top wall panel, the carton may be completely sealed. The scoreline holds the handle flat against the carton to facilitate shipping and storage, while permitting the handle to be readily accessible to the consumer by merely tearing along the scroreline.
However, the handle had to be reinforced by the insertion of a reinforcement tape between the scoreline and hinge upon which it was doubled back upon itself or by the inclusion of a strip of reinforcement tape beneath the doubled back end portion of the outer handle panel to provide rigidity to the handle and preclude it from being torn at its ends from the handle body.
Furthermore, because the outer top panel is sealed to a portion of the inner top panel and the handle lies flat against the inner top panel, the fingers may not be readily inserted beneath the strap handle between the inner and outer top panels to grasp and pull the handle panel upwardly to sever the connecting scoreline enabling the handle panel to be used to carry the carton.
The present invention relates to an improved structure of such an integral strap handle which dispenses with the necessity of providing a separate reinforcing element or tape and readily enables a user to grasp and sever the handle from the top panel.